


Weekend in Zamboanga

by midnightmumblings



Category: SB19 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:33:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightmumblings/pseuds/midnightmumblings
Summary: In a desperate bid to save face and not show up as a lonely bachelor on his brother’s wedding day, Justin tells his family that he is going to bring a date.Only problem is, he doesn’t really have one.
Relationships: Julian "Yani" De Dios/Felip Jhon Suson | Ken, Justin De Dios/Josh Cullen Santos, Stellvester "Stell" Ajero/John Paulo Nase | Sejun
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	1. The one with the Plan

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to another multi-chaptered fic from me :3
> 
> It's a Fake Dating AU, and I'm an absolute sucker for those. And, I've been dying to write a romantic comedy of sorts after the heavy themes of Dans L'eternite, so I wanted something really fluffy for now.
> 
> May contain adult themes, and rating could go up, so please read with caution. I'm just having fun now.
> 
> And always, stan SB19!

**Summary:**

In a desperate bid to save face and not show up as a lonely bachelor on his brother’s wedding day, Justin tells his family that he is going to bring a date. 

Only problem is, he doesn’t have really one.

* * *

“Yes, mom,” Justin huffed into the phone as he moved around the kitchen, struggling to balance a plate of food in his hand and his phone in the other. “I’m happy for them, I really am.”

_“You don’t sound happy, Justin,”_ came his mother’s voice from the other line. _“Your brother just got engaged! I’d expect a little more exuberance from you.”_

“Yes mom, he did get engaged, and to my best friend of all people,” Justin said, grumbling. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the thought of his older brother, Yani, and his best friend, Ken, being together. But, everything seemed to be happening so fast, and it was giving Justin whiplash. “Look, I’ll call Diko after you hang up and tell him congratulations, okay?”

_“Well, fine,”_ came the response. _“They’re planning to hold the wedding in November, just for your information.”_

Justin mentally counted the months. “That’s six months away!”

_“Well, then, perhaps that should give you enough time to find a date. I know someone who…”_

And there it was, the crux of the matter. Justin rolled his eyes so hard they practically rolled over into his brain as his mother started describing the latest “someone” who she thought would just be _perfect_ for Justin. Every single time his mom checked on him, it almost always devolved into this conversation that he would really rather not have while he was holding a plate of chicken nuggets and white bread.

It was just a sad reminder of how his life turned out.

_“...and he is studying his Master’s degree, can you believe it? He’d be perfect for you and…”_

And Justin tuned her out. He let his mom rattle on the phone a little longer before he put his dinner down on the table and spoke up again.

“Look mom, you don’t have to…” he began, which shut her up for a moment. “I’m not interested in bringing a date.”

_“I’m just worried about you, baby,”_ she replied after a while. _“Please, reconsider. At least meet up with him.”_

“For the last time, no.” He said firmly, getting agitated with the conversation. “I don’t need a date, mom. I’m sure that’s not a requirement to attend a wedding.”

_“Of course it isn’t, but wouldn’t you rather be there with someone than to sit all alone again at the bar all night?”_

He was sure she didn’t mean it like that. His mom means well, but sometimes, she says things that put him on edge. This time, Justin almost saw red.

“You know what, you can tell whoever this is that I’m not interested, and yes, I will bring a date to _Diko's_ wedding,” he snapped. “And I’m going to bring someone I actually like, so you can stop trying to set me up with random guys because I can do it myself.”

And with that, he hung up without so much as a goodbye, seething in front of his sad dinner of chicken nuggets and white bread.

* * *

So, Justin had two problems.

Yani and Ken’s wedding was less than three weeks away. The first problem was that the suit he fitted had to be altered again, and it was taking ages.

The second problem was that Yani and Ken’s wedding was less than three weeks away, and he still didn’t have a date to the wedding despite saying so to his mother almost six months ago.

Ken wasn’t particularly empathetic, judging by the way he’s been bent over the table for the past five minutes, cry-laughing. Justin crossed his arms and sent him an unimpressed look.

The laughter eventually died down, and as Ken was wiping his tears away with a tissue, Justin huffed. “Are you quite done?”

“Wait, I think I still have another few minutes of laughter to come out,” came the response, and Justin smacked Ken on the arm.

“What are we talking about?” Paulo asked as he set their drinks down. 

“Nothing of importance,” Justin grumbled out, taking a swig of beer. “Ken’s being a jackass, as per usual.”

Paulo looked to Ken with a raised eyebrow. 

“Justin’s worried because he told his mom he’d have a date to my wedding six months ago, and he still doesn’t have one,” Ken said in response to the unanswered question. Paulo made an understanding face before turning to face a fuming Justin in his chair.

“Why don’t you just tell your mom the truth?” Paulo asked as he lifted his drink to his lips. “It’d make things a lot easier.”

“What, and give my mom the satisfaction of knowing she was right?” Justin grumbled. “She’d never let me live it down, and then she’d use these last three weeks to try and set me up with some Mr. doctor-slash-lawyer-slash-engineer-slash-professor that’d be _perfect for me.”_

  
  


“As opposed to actually showing up at the wedding without a date and still proving your mom right?” Paulo asked, and Justin rolled his eyes.

“Look, I don’t get why this is such a big deal. So what if I show up single on your wedding?” He asked, mostly to Ken. “It’s not a requirement, and besides, I’d be so busy doing my best man duties that I’d probably have no time to spend with my date at all.”

“Man, it’s not a big deal to me or your brother, you know what right?” Ken asked him, and Justin shrugged. “Look, you’re almost 25 now. You should be able to make your own decisions.”

“I know that but…” Justin sighed, slumping further down in his chair. “Mom’s never gonna let me live it down. I just want her to stop trying to set me up with all these men. It’s getting annoying.”

“She just cares about you,” Paulo pointed out. “Look, if it’s really that important to you, we’re at a bar right now. Why don’t you go around and see if anyone catches your eye.”

Paulo did have a point. Justin looked around, but there wasn’t anyone in particular that stood out to him. At times like this, Justin hated that he had become picky when it came to dates, but he wasn’t about to jump into bed or get into a relationship with just about anyone. He wanted to be sure of the person first and get to know them. He didn’t care if they had multiple degrees or just a high school education, either. 

“Why don’t we leave it to fate since you seem to still be dragging your heels in,” Paulo added, crossing his arms. “You will go up and talk to the third guy that walks in through those doors.”

As a group, they swiveled their heads to the entrance of the bar.

“Fine,” Justin grouched out. “But I get a redo if the third guy is not to my tastes.”

“One redo, and that’s it,” Ken added with a laugh. “You gotta let fate decide now, bro.”

“Whatever,” Justin replied, rolling his eyes as they kept their gazes trained to the doors. After a few seconds, the door opened, and a fairly attractive man entered the establishment. He had fluffy dark hair that curled at the ends, a pair of full-looking lips, and a somewhat sexy mole on the side of his face. He had a wide grin on his face as he strutted towards the bar, wearing a black button-down shirt and tight jeans.

He was very attractive, there was no doubt about that, considering the way Paulo ogled him all the way to the bar.

“I thought we were looking for a date for me?” Justin commented with a smirk as he realized Paulo had his eyes trained on the guy that just entered.

“And we are,” Paulo replied defensively. “Doesn’t mean I can’t look for my own.”

Ken looked between them before he pulled Paulo out of his seat. “Go and talk to him, then. With the way you’ve been staring at him for the past minute, he’d burst into flames at any second.”

“What about Justin?” Paulo asked, and Ken shook his head.

“We’ll be fine. Don’t you trust my tastes?” Ken replied with a grin. “I did manage to snag this one’s brother.”

Justin rolled his eyes but he urged Paulo to go nonetheless. “I still have that one redo. Go and talk to him before anyone else snatches him. It seems like you’re not the only one interested,” he added, gesturing to the group nearby that have been casting furtive glances at the newcomer.

“Alright, here I go,” Paulo said, mostly to himself, before taking a shot and making his way to the stranger at the bar.

Justin and Ken then looked back at the door. Sure enough, it opened the moment they looked, but the second guy that walked through wasn’t very noteworthy in Justin’s opinion. It may also have something to do with the fact that he had his arm wrapped around someone who was most likely his girlfriend, judging by the way they clung onto each other as they walked.

“This is stupid, I hope you know that,” Justin remarked, and Ken laughed.

“You got yourself into this. If you hadn’t lied to your mom all those months ago, then we wouldn’t even be in this position,” Ken pointed out to him. “Besides, who knows, maybe you’d actually get a meaningful relationship out of this.”

Justin let out a scoffing noise, which was abruptly cut short by the door opening again, and a man practically out of Justin’s dreams walked in and looked around.

Justin could feel his jaw drop at the sight. The man had dark hair parted in the middle, and he was wearing a very loose long-sleeved button-down shirt paired with black slacks. His eyes, even from a distance, shone amber in the dim bar lighting, and his lips were a bit pink and wet from the way he licked at them. He seemed to be a few inches shorter than Justin in height, but that didn’t matter one bit. Justin could not keep his eyes away as the man walked all the way to the bar and sat down.

“Well, what the fuck are you waiting for?” Ken asked, snapping Justin out of his reverie. “Go and talk to him, it’s obvious you’re into him.”

“What do I say to him?!” Justin hissed as Ken stood up and started pushing him out of his chair.

“Say whatever, just talk to him!” Ken exclaimed. “Look, you said you needed a date for my wedding, then take one! Your mom wouldn’t have to find out you staged everything so she’d get off your back for a bit.”

Justin sighed and grabbed his drink. “Fine, but if this blows up in my face, I’ll tell Yani about that one time in college.”

A look of horror spread across Ken’s face. “You wouldn’t.”

Justin smirked back. “Try me, Suson.”

And with that, Justin took a swig of his drink and made his way to what could undoubtedly be his doom.

* * *

They weren’t even five minutes in, and Stell was already flirting with someone.

Josh rolled his eyes as he clambered onto the seat and glanced at the menu. A few meters from him, Stell was already talking to some guy with long, shaggy hair tied into a half-bun, and it seemed like they were actually enjoying their conversation. Josh didn’t have the heart to interrupt so he just took a seat and waited for their conversation to end.

He heard someone cough behind him, and Josh looked to see a pretty cute boy with dark brown hair. He looked nervous, clutching his drink with two hands as if he was sent over here as a dare. Josh raised an eyebrow in askance, and the other person was moved to talk.

“Hi uh…” he began. “Is uh...is this seat taken?” 

The boy pointed to an empty chair next to Josh, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

“Uhhh,” Josh replied, looking back at Stell who was still very much engrossed in his conversation. “As of the moment, nope. Help yourself.”

“Thanks,” came the reply, and Josh found himself sitting next to a very cute boy. “I don’t normally do this, but uh...I’m Justin, it’s nice to meet you.”

Josh smiled at him, shaking his hand. “I’m Josh, and what is it you don’t normally do?”

Justin chuckled. “I don’t normally walk up to really cute guys at bars and introduce myself.”

“Oh, are you used to really cute guys walking up to you instead?” Josh retorted, and Justin’s eyes lit up at the response. 

“Oh yeah, pretty much. Just guys swarming up to me everywhere I go, it’s unbelievable,” Justin replied, and Josh couldn’t help but laugh at the joke. “I sometimes have to beat them off with my fists.”

The innuendo was not lost on Josh, and he was pretty sure Justin meant to say that judging by the grin that stretched the edges of his lips. 

“Wow, I’m sure it’s so difficult living the life you lead,” Josh drawled, turning around in his seat a bit so he could face Justin. Even in shitty bar lighting, Justin was very handsome, there was no doubting that. Josh took a moment to send a prayer to whichever deity was listening, thanking them for pushing this beautiful human being his way. 

“Oh you have no idea,” came the cheeky response. “So, can I buy you a drink?”

“You know what, Justin, I’d love that,” Josh replied, and Justin called over the bartender. “I’ll have their house special.”

“Well then, make that two,” Justin said as he slipped the bartender a crisp thousand-peso note. The bartender grinned and proceeded to make their drinks.

Once their drinks were served, Justin turned back to Josh. “So, tell me about yourself.”

“What is this, a job interview?” Josh retorted, smiling. 

“Well, I’d like to see if you would qualify,” Justin replied, taking a sip of his drink as he did so. 

Josh leaned forward. “Qualify to become what?”

Justin shrugged. “Who knows? Let’s see where the night will take us.”

Oh, Justin was _good._ Josh proceeded to lean back, slowly sipping his drink as he did so. 

“Okay, how about this, one fact about me in exchange for one fact about you,” Josh replied, and Justin readily agreed. “Great, what would you like to know?”

“What do you do for work?” Justin asked him.

“I’m actually working as a dance teacher,” Josh replied. “My best friend, Stell and I, started our own dance company a few years back. How about you?”

“Oh, I’m in graphic design,” Justin answered. “I work for this big advertising firm.”

And the night went on. Conversation flowed between them rather easily, and Josh found himself actually having a good time just talking with Justin. They hadn’t realized that time flew by, and by the time Josh realized it, Stell had already left, presumably with the guy he was talking with earlier, and had sent Josh a text to inform him as much.

“Have we actually been talking for almost two hours now?” Josh asked, squinting at the clock that read 12:03 p.m. 

“It would seem so,” Justin replied. “Hey would you...would you like to take a walk or something?”

Josh grinned. “You know what, I’d love to.”

* * *

They did take a walk, relishing the cool breeze on their faces as they made their way through a rather empty park. It was nearing one in the morning, and neither had made a move. Justin found himself enjoying the time they spent, and as hours passed, it seemed that he and Josh had a lot in common. They both played games, they both danced, they both loved the same type of music, and so much more. 

They were sitting in the park when Justin’s phone buzzed. He chuckled when he saw some strongly worded chats from Ken.

_chiKEN: Assholes. Thanks for leaving without so much as a bye-your-leave. Had to get Yani to pick me up._

**_Jah: You love it when he drives you around._ **

_chiKEN: I do, but it doesn’t mean my two best friends can leave me in the bar._

**_Jah: Remind me again between the three of us, who is getting married in three weeks?_ **

_chiKen: Fine. Just text me so that I know you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere._

“Something the matter?” Josh asked, and Justin shook his head. 

“It’s just my best friend, Ken. He’s uh...he’s getting married in a few weeks, and he’s just bitchy that we left him at the bar. My other friend, Paulo, probably went with the guy he started talking to tonight, and I’m with you.” Justin replied, shutting his phone off. “But, I should probably get home as well. It is getting late.”

“Well, where do you stay? I could walk you?” Josh offered, and Justin thought on the matter.

“Maybe another time,” he replied, and surprisingly, Josh nodded and accepted this. “But, can I have your number?”

Josh grinned. “Of course.”

They exchanged numbers, and as Justin pocketed his phone, he bid farewell to Josh, and they went their separate ways. 

Well, that didn’t seem too bad.

Maybe...just maybe...Justin might actually pull this off.

* * *

“So, have you found a date yet?” Ken asked him three days later when they went to have their suit fitting. 

“Who hasn’t found a date yet?” Yani’s voice piped up from behind the racks, and Justin froze.

Ken grinned. “Your little brother over here is still looking for a date to bring to the wedding so _tita_ wouldn’t set him up with just about every eligible bachelor in a ten-kilometer radius.”

Yani turned to Justin who was looking just a bit too interested in the fabric in his hands. “Hey, Jah, you do realize I don’t care if you bring a date or not.”

“I know that,” Justin grumbled out. “Mom’s will care, though. And, with your workmates there, she’d probably parade me around during the reception.”

“She means well,” came the response.

Justin sighed. “I just don’t understand why she can’t just leave me alone about the matter. If I’m single, so what? I have a high-paying job, I have my own place, I drive my own car...what will it take for her to actually stop pushing me to just about anyone?”

“She just doesn’t want you to feel lonely,” Ken quipped. “Neither do we.”

“I have you guys as my friends, though,” Justin replied, though the argument sounded weak even to him.

“And we’ll always be here for you, Jah, you know that,” Yani replied. “But, Ken and I are starting our new lives together. We’ll always be your friends but...it’s not going to be the same, you know that right?”

And yeah, Justin did know. He turned back to the coat rack, leaving Yani’s question unanswered. 

He was very happy for Ken and Yani, and he wanted nothing but the best for them. They deserved each other, and it was very obvious that they loved each other very much.

Still, it was going to be very different, and Justin wasn’t sure he was ready for the change.

* * *

After suit fitting, Ken and Yani dropped Justin off at the mall as they went to their next appointment, which was with the cake decorator. 

With a sigh, he walked inside, shivering at the cold air that greeted his skin. Justin made his way to the food court after a few seconds, feeling the pangs of hunger gnaw at his stomach.

As he sat down with his meal, he most certainly wasn’t expecting someone else to sit in front of him.

He looked up, and to his surprise, Josh was there, grinning at him.

“H-hey,” he greeted, taken aback. “I uh...I didn’t see you there.”

“You never texted,” Josh said with a pout. “I was waiting for you to get in touch.”

“I uh...I got busy,” Justin replied with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, it’s been a crazy few days.”

“Ah, it’s alright. I’m just so glad that you’re here,” came the response. “I saw you enter the food court, and I had debated for a hot second if I was going to approach you, but I guess, here I am.”

“Here you are,” Justin echoed, a small smile on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Thankfully - or not, depending on the situation - Josh noticed. “You okay?”

“I guess? As I said, it’s been a crazy few days,” Justin replied with a sigh. “My brother’s getting married in a few weeks, so it’s all hands on deck with preparations.”

“Oh, damn, I hope you’re getting enough sleep.”

“A little here and there,” Justin joked, and Josh smiled at him. “Oh, do you -?”

Justin trailed off, gesturing to his food. Josh got the hint.

“Oh right, sorry, I was just so happy to see you,” Josh replied, sheepishly. “Listen, if you want to hang out again sometime, just let me know.”

At that, Justin grinned. “Of course. Hopefully, when this whole nightmare is over, I’d be able to text you.”

And with that, Josh stood up, but not without one last glance at Justin.

Once he was out of sight, Justin sank down in his seat, poking at his lukewarm shawarma rice, a despondent sigh leaving his lips as he did.

* * *

This was an eerily familiar scene, and Justin was wondering if he wasn’t just experiencing deja vu.

_“Have you got a plus one for the wedding?”_ His mom’s voice echoed over the speakerphone. _“I just want to make sure so we can decide on the place settings.”_

Justin rolled his eyes, wondering if he could just bash his laptop over his head and end his suffering.

“Mom...” He grumbled. “Can we talk later? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

_“You don’t, do you?”_ Came the unimpressed response. _“Sweetie, I thought you said you’d have a date.”_

“Mom, it’s really not a good time, I have a deadline…”

_“Look, it’s fine if you don’t have a date. I’m sure I can find someone for you in a short time,”_ his mom said, bulldozing over anything he had to say. _“How about that young doctor in the city clinic? He’s very good looking, and I’m sure you’d get along just fine!”_

Justin couldn’t help it. He exploded.

“You know what mom, I do have a date! You can put down two place settings for me, because I’m bringing someone along,” He replied, fuming. 

_“Oh, do you now?”_ Came the skeptical reply. _“What’s his name, Justin?”_

Twenty years from now, Justin would look back at this moment with some fondness and frustration at himself, the same way he used to look at himself during his college days. It’d be a fun story to tell his kids, and they’d have a laugh at the expense of his past self. They’d point out his undoubted stupidity when he opened his mouth and blurted out the name “Josh.”

_“Josh?”_

“Yes mom, his name is Josh, and he’s a real person. He’s a dance teacher, and he teaches little kids for some after school programs,” he replied. It was like an out of body experience - he was saying words, but his brain was screaming at him to stop talking before he said anything else to further incriminate himself. 

_“And how long have you been seeing him?”_ She asked, and really, Justin should learn to keep his mouth shut, but in his frustration, his brain somehow lost control of his tongue.

“Four months,” he replied, a bit smugly at that. “We’ve been seeing each other for four months now, and we’re in a very happy and loving relationship. I was planning to bring him to the wedding and finally introduce him to the family as a surprise.”

_“Oh, dear,”_ his mom replied, an apologetic tone taking over. _“I’m sorry, did I ruin the surprise?”_

Justin figured, he was already in it too deep, might as well ham it up further. “No, you didn’t, but maybe keep it a secret for now? I was just excited to surprise everyone.”

_“Oh yes, of course! I’ll put in two place settings for you and Josh, okay baby? Oh, I’m so happy for you, and I can’t wait to meet Josh!”_ She said, excitement in her voice.

“Yeah, I’m happy too, mom,” he replied, mentally berating himself. “I’ll see you in a few days, okay?” 

They said their goodbyes, Justin smiling as he did, before turning off his phone.

He was, in no uncertain terms, fucked.

* * *

_Justin: Hey, uh...you want to hang out tomorrow?_

**_Josh: What time? I get off work at 4._ **

_Justin: 5pm works. Meet you at the Starbucks in Megamall?_

**_Josh: Sure! See you!_ **

* * *

Josh smiled as he brought their drinks over from the counter. Justin sat back on the comfy couch, smiling in return, watching Josh put their drinks down in front of them - a vanilla frappe for Justin, and an iced tea for Josh - before Josh sat down across from him.

“So, what’s up? How have you been?” Josh asked him as they tucked into their drinks.

“I’ve been better,” Justin replied with a chuckle. “Very busy, but I guess that’s what happens when someone in your family gets engaged.”

Josh grinned. “I’m just glad you got some time to meet up today. To be honest, I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”

“Oh?” Justin asked, unable to help the surprise that crossed his face. 

“Yeah, it’s just…” Josh smiled sheepishly. “I had fun that night, when we just talked and walked around. I had hoped you’d want to pick up where we left off, so I was a little bummed when I didn’t hear back from you.”

“Oh,” Justin said again, sounding almost like a broken record at this point. “I’m sorry, I haven’t been in the best headspace recently. Best man is really a hard role to be in, so if anyone ever asks you to be their best man, say no.”

“Thank you for the advice, I guess,” Josh replied as he took another sip of his iced tea. 

Silence fell over them, so thick that one could almost cut it with a knife. Justin stared at some point behind Josh’s shoulder, mulling around his thoughts. 

Should he do this? He barely knows the man apart from what they shared that one night, but Justin was getting pretty desperate. Was he really going to keep up with the entire farce just to make his mom happy and off his back? And was he really going to drag this really nice guy into his shenanigans because he can’t bear the thought of facing his mom?

“Something the matter?” Josh asked, cutting into his thoughts, and Justin looked up to see genuine concern on Josh’s features. 

_Well, here goes nothing,_ Justin thought as he sat up and put his drink down.

“Listen,” he breathed out, feeling his nerves light up. “I have a really huge favor to ask. I know we barely know each other, and we’ve been on...literally one date I guess, but I really need your help.”

“Well, what is it? Anything I can do?” Josh asked him, setting his drink down as well. 

“Let me just give you a bit of backstory,” Justin breathed out. “My mom - I love her to death, don’t get me wrong - can be a bit overbearing sometimes, especially when it comes to relationships we may have. She got this idea in her head that all her sons should have a happily ever after. My eldest brother’s already married, with a lovely wife and two amazing kids, and my other brother is getting married in a few weeks to my best friend.”

“Okay, I mean, I guess all our parents ever want is for us to be happy,” Josh pointed out.

“Yeah, I know that, and I know she means well, but I really don’t appreciate it when she tries to set me up with every eligible man she meets,” Justin added with a huff. “So, six months ago, when my brother and best friend announced their engagement, she called me up and the first thing she asked me was if I was going to bring someone to the wedding.”

“Oof,” Josh replied, wincing. “Not a good sign.”

“Yeah, so you can imagine my frustration. I got so mad I told her that I’d have a date, and that she didn’t need to meddle. True to her word, I didn’t hear a peep from her about the topic until yesterday, all because she wanted to know how many place settings they were going to reserve for me,” Justin continued. 

“So...what did you say?” Josh asked him. “Do you have a date for your brother’s wedding?”

“That’s the thing, I don’t,” Justin replied. “But, I just got so pissed off when she started talking about setting me up with another guy that I blew up and said I did.” 

It wasn’t Justin’s brightest idea ever, and the wince on Josh’s face confirmed that. 

“So, what happened next?”

“Well,” Justin took a deep breath. “This is where you come in actually. And before you say anything, please know that I was just so out of it, and I was not in the mood to hear any of her nagging again.”

The realization dawning on Josh’s face told Justin that he was starting to piece together the puzzle in his mind.

“So, when she started talking about setting me up again, I blew up and said that I had a date...which was you.”

The silence was almost unbearable, even with the clinking of silverware and chatter of people around them. Josh stared at him, dumbfounded, and Justin searched for a sign of any other reaction. 

“So…” Josh spoke after a few minutes. “How do I figure into any of this?”

“Well…” Justin trailed off, fiddling with his fingers, a sheepish smile on his face. “Would you be able to get time off from work next week?”

* * *

“Bye kids, see you after the semestral break!”

Josh watched as Stell waved away the last of the kids from their after-school program dance class. He kept the smile on his face until the last kid walked out the door before dropping it and turning back to the studio to begin cleanup.

“Okay, what’s up?” Stell’s voice cut through, and he looked over to see his friend with his hands on his hips, eyebrow raised. “You haven’t been in a good mood since this morning, some of the kids started to notice.”

“They did?” Josh asked, ultimately shrugging. “I didn’t notice.”

Stell took the stuff from his hands. “Come on, let’s talk. What’s up with you?”

Josh breathed out, wondering if he should say anything. 

“Do you...do you remember that guy I met at the bar a little over a week ago?” Josh asked, and Stell nodded. “Well, we met up yesterday.”

“That’s great news!” Stell exclaimed. “You’ve been mooning over him for the better part of a week, I’m glad he’s finally gotten in touch.”

“Yeah, I was excited too, but…” he trailed off. “Turns out he wanted to meet up for an entirely different reason.”

Stell rolled his eyes. “Okay, enough with the cryptic talk. Tell me what happened.”

And Josh did. He told Stell about Justin’s situation, and why he wanted to meet up with Josh in the first place. By the end of it, Stell was quiet, a look of concern on his face.

“I really like him,” Josh added. “I just...well I thought maybe he liked me back.” 

“Josh, I’m so sorry…” Stell sighed, sitting down next to him. “So, he asked you to be a date to his brother’s wedding?”

“Not just a date, but act like we’ve been in a relationship for months,” Josh replied. “To please his mom.” 

“You said no, right?” Stell asked, and when Josh didn’t reply right away, Stell repeated his question. “You said _no,_ right?”

“I said I’d think about it,” Josh said, and at Stell’s affronted look, Josh huffed. “Look, maybe this is a chance for us to get to know each other.”

“I know you really like him, but do you really think you can fool his family?” Stell asked. 

“It’s just for a weekend in Zamboanga,” Josh pointed out. “I’m sure I can act that long.”

Stell let out a breath. “Josh, why are you doing this, really? You do realize that there is no way for this to end well for you.”

“I know, but…” Josh sighed. “I really like him,” he added with a small voice. “Should I go through with it?” 

“Well, it looks like you already made up your mind,” Stell said after a few minutes. “Just...be careful okay?”

Josh nodded. “I will. You know I will.”

“Besides, I’ll be coming with you.”

At that, Josh did a double take. “Wait, what?”

“Yeah, you remember the guy I met the same night, Paulo? Turns out he’s also friends with Ken, so he’s going to be at the wedding too. He invited me as his plus one,” Stell said with a dopey grin. “So, I’ll be there to keep an eye on you, make sure you’re not going to make an absolute fool of yourself when this plan goes to shit."

“I’m very touched with your faith in me,” Josh replied with a sardonic tone. “Well, it’s just for a weekend. What the hell could go wrong?”

* * *

**_Josh: So, is that trip to Zamboanga for a weekend still available?_ **

_Justin: Oh my god, are you serious?_

**_Josh: Yup._ **

_Justin: Holy shit thank you so much. I’ll email you the trip details._

**_Josh: Great, see you._ **

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The One with the Backstory

**[Justin & ** _Ken & _ Paulo] 

**[12:30 p.m.]**

**K, I’m bringing a date to your wedding**

_[12:33 p.m.]_

_Wtf_

_What_

_What date_

**[12:34 p.m.]**

**I’m just bringing a plus one just an fyi**

_[12:35 p.m.]_

_YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME SOONER_

_WE HAVE TO REARRANGE SEATING NOW_

_Wait_

_WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE BRINGING A DATE_

[12:36 p.m.] 

Last we checked you were not dating anyone? 

**[12:38 p.m.]**

**Look it’s a sudden thing**

**I sorta told my mom i’m dating now**

[12:38 p.m.] 

What dumbass thing did you get yourself into 

**[12:39 p.m.]**

**I just needed to get my mom off my back ok**

**Don’t judge me**

_[12:40 p.m.]_

_I am hardcore judging you bro_

_What did you say to your mom_

**[12:41 p.m.]**

**I just said I’d bring a date**

**I also may have mentioned I’ve been dating this guy for a few months now**

[12:42 p.m.] 

So you’re together? 

**[12:45 p.m.]**

**Not exactly**

_[12:46 p.m.]_

_Keep being vague and I’ll strike you off the wedding party_

**[12:46 p.m.]**

**Fine**

**I may have**

**Stretched the truth a bit**

[12:47 p.m.] 

So you’re not actually together? 

**[12:48 p.m.]**

**Nope**

_[12:49 p.m.]_

_Oh my god_

_You are a dumbass_

**[12:50 p.m.]**

**IT’S THE BEST SOLUTION THAT I COULD COME UP WITH**

[12:51 p.m.] 

Pretending to be in a relationship was the best you could come up with? 

Whatever happened to oh idk telling the truth?? 

**[12:52 p.m.]**

**And give my mom the satisfaction of being right?**

**I think the fuck not**

_[12:54 p.m.]_

_Justin oh my god_

_So what you’re bringing some random guy to my wedding just so that you can prove a point??_

**[12:55 p.m.]**

**He’s not exactly a stranger**

**Remember that guy I met at the bar more than a week ago?**

[12:56 p.m.] 

Josh? 

Stell’s friend? 

**[12:57 p.m.]**

**How the fuck did you know**

[12:58 p.m.] 

Because I’m actually dating Stell? 

_[1:00 p.m.]_

_You couldn’t have told your mom that you just started dating him?_

_Why lie about it?_

**[1:01 p.m.]**

**I panicked!**

**Look can you two please just keep this a secret for now?**

**Just for this weekend in Zamboanga?**

_[1:05 p.m.]_

_As long as you promise not to let this disrupt my wedding please_

**[1:06 p.m.]**

**I promise**

[1:07 p.m.] 

I just hope you know what you’re doing Jah 

**[1:10 p.m.]**

**Don’t worry**

**I got it under control**

* * *

After Josh had confirmed that he’d be going to Zamboanga with Justin, Josh received his plane ticket through his email.. It came literally a minute after he put his phone down, and Josh had to wonder if Justin already bought the ticket in hopes that he'd say yes.

Their flight wasn't until Thursday afternoon, which gave him plenty of time to pack. Justin wanted to meet him in the morning of their travel time so they could go together to the airport.

The plan was to get to Zamboanga by Thursday night. Paulo and Stell would be flying in a day later, and they'd all be going back to Manila together by Monday evening, a day after the wedding.

Josh can act that long.

He thinks.

He sighed and put his head down on his desk, wondering for the nth time what he had gotten himself into. It was a stupid, idiotic plot. He barely knew Justin and now he had to act like they've been together for the past four months? Justin said he'll figure out a backstory, and all he had to do was show up and act all in love.

There were so many things that could go wrong, so many variables they had yet to consider.

If anything, at the very least, Josh was getting a free staycation trip to Zamboanga out of it.

* * *

Justin spotted him the moment he walked into the coffee shop. Josh carried his gym bag on his shoulder, and when their eyes met, he gave a hesitant smile. Justin waved him over, and Josh made his way through the tables and settled in front of him.

"Hey," Justin began. "Thanks for...for doing this."

"It's no problem," Josh replied, but Justin noticed his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I wouldn't say no to a weekend in Zamboanga."

"Right," Justin trailed off. "So uh, you got your ticket?"

"Yup, got it here," Josh held out his phone in response. 

"Good, good," Justin breathed out. "Okay, so uh Yani and Ken went ahead a few days ago, so Ken will be picking us up from the airport -"

"Sounds good…"

"-and my parents and eldest brother and his family will be travelling with us."

"Oh," Josh paused. "So...I get to meet them like in a few hours?"

Justin winced at the gruff tone Josh's voice took on. "I'm sorry I forgot to mention it. I thought my family would be taking a later flight, and my mom decided they'll just schedule their flight at the same time as mine. I just found out last night."

Josh breathed out slowly. "Okay, I think I can deal with that."

"Listen, my family are really good people, and you'll like them," Justin said, leaning over. "We just need to stick to our backstory to make sure they wouldn't find out."

Josh took a deep breath. "And what is our backstory?"

Justin sighed, sounding more tired than Josh realized. "Alright, so, basically we met…"

* * *

Justin's concocted _backstory_ was thankfully not too far from the truth. It was pretty much exactly how they met, apart from a few parts where Justin so obviously stretched the truth a bit. 

Like how long they've been together.

Or like how they're really not in a relationship.

Josh adjusted the bag on his shoulder as Justin checked them into their flight. In that moment, he could almost pretend they were an actual couple getting ready out of town on vacation. 

Justin looked good in his shorts and colorful tropical shirt where he had left the top two buttons undone. His sunglasses were perched atop his head, and he was smiling at the lady who was handing them their boarding passes.

Josh couldn't help it. The moment Justin looked at him with that smile, Josh was instantly transported to that night they spent. Justin had a really beautiful smile, and under different circumstances, Josh would have no doubt melted at the sight.

Still, he was reminded of the current situation they were in. 

It wasn't a nice position to be.

"Alright, let's head to the gate," Justin said to him, and Josh followed as Justin walked through the airport, head held up high and confident as they made their way through the crowd of passersby.

Sure enough, they hadn’t even made it a few steps when someone was yelling out _“Justin!”_

In almost perfect synchronization - and if Josh wasn’t too busy freaking out, he’d be astounded at just how in sync they were - they turned towards the small group where a woman was waving at them, a huge smile on her face. 

Josh turned to look at Justin who had a smile on his face, but there was little trace of sincerity in it. Justin’s smile looked strained, as if he was just plain tired, and from the way he described his relationship with his parents, it didn’t surprise Josh one bit.

“Hey ma,” Justin replied as he approached, and Justin was pulled into a rather enthusiastic hug.

“Oh, baby, I’m so glad to see you,” she said with a grin before her eyes moved to Josh. “And _you_ must be Josh!” 

Josh was about to respond when he found himself being pulled into a tight hug. 

“Ah, yeah, that’s...me,” he finished lamely as he pulled away from the hug.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Justin’s mom told him, holding his hands gingerly in hers. “I cannot believe that my son hid you away from us for four months.”

She then smacked Justin’s arm, much to their surprise. “You didn’t tell me how good looking he is,” his mom accused.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t think looks were _that_ important,” Justin muttered under his breath as he rubbed his arm. 

“Oh shush you, you don’t get to protest since you’re the one who kept secrets,” came the response. “Now, where is your papa, they’re going to call us to board any minute now?” 

She left them to go search for Justin's dad presumably, and just as Josh thought they were in the clear, another group approached them.

" _Palachickong!"_ The man exclaimed, and from Justin's pained expression, he must be Justin's older brother.

"Hey, _kuya_ ," Justin greeted back, his smile becoming even more strained. 

"Now what's this I hear about you having a boyfriend now?" He asked, his eyes then landing on Josh. "Is this him?"

Josh felt like he was being pinned in place, but then Justin sighed.

"Yes, this is my boyfriend, Josh," Justin said. "Josh, this is my _kuya_ CJ, and that's his wife, Amanda, and their kids…"

"Hello," Josh said, waving at them. "It's so nice to finally meet you guys. Justin's told me so much about you all."

CJ grinned. "Well it's nice to see Justin dating again. He's been single for two years, can you believe that? I never thought I'd see the day when he'd have - oof!"

"Sweetie," CJ's wife, Amanda, said as she nudged him in the ribs, and Josh could see Justin's expression harden. "Let's be happy for your little brother. We are so glad to meet you, Josh."

"Likewise," he replied. He liked Amanda, she seemed to have some common sense.

“Anyways,” she said, grabbing her husband’s hand. “We’ll just get the kids ready to board. I hope to get to know you later on, Josh.”

Josh nodded with a smile. He then picked up his bag and turned to Justin. Justin had gone quiet, a frown on his face as he watched his brother walk away. 

“Justin?” He asked, and Justin turned to him.

“Let’s go,” came the curt reply. Soon enough, their flight was called to board, and Justin grabbed his stuff, leaving Josh trailing after him, wondering if this was all a terrible mistake.

* * *

Justin was quiet during the entire flight, but that may have been due to the fact that he was asleep for most of it. The minute they sat down, Justin plugged his earphones in, grabbed his neck pillow, and he proceeded to conk out for the entire flight.

Josh decided he’d spend the time going over their back story to at least make it believable to the people he would be meeting at the wedding. When they were at the coffee shop, Justin had suggested honest-to-goodness index cards to keep their stories straight. Josh managed to talk him out of it, but they did at least spend some time ironing out the details.

A small shuffle brought him out of his thoughts, and Josh looked up to see a little girl staring at him from her seat. She tilted her head slightly, as if trying to get a read on him. He immediately recognized the little girl as one of CJ’s kids, Justin’s niece.

“Hi, there,” Josh said, offering a tentative smile. It took a while, but she hesitantly smiled back. 

“Are you unca Jah's boyfriend?” She suddenly asked, causing Josh to blink a few times before he realized she was probably talking about Justin. 

“I - well, yes, I am,” he replied. “My name is Josh.”

“I’m Alya,” she said, waving a hand. “Are you gonna marry unca Jah?”

Had Josh been drinking something, he would have no doubt spat it all over her. The question was quite random, and it was one they hadn’t thought would come up in polite conversation.

Well, Justin prepared him for conversations with adults, mostly. Neither of them realized that kids were probably going to talk to him as well. 

“Uh,” he stuttered out, and she looked at him expectantly. “Well, Alya, it’s still soon to tell if I’ll be marrying your uncle. I mean, we’ve only been together for a few months.”

“But you want to marry him?” she asked again, and it was clearly obvious she was not going to let up on this line of questioning until he gave her a satisfactory answer.

“One day,” he said, hoping that this would be the answer she was looking for. “I don’t know when, but one day.”

“Okay,” she said, seeming to accept his response and sitting back down in her seat. For a few minutes, Josh figured the ordeal was over. He turned back to staring out the window, squinting his eyes against the extreme whiteness of the clouds and started to settle back into his seat when Alya’s head popped up from behind her seat again.

“Can I be the flower girl at you and unca Jah's wedding?” She asked him. “I’m not the flower girl at unca Yani and unca Ken’s wedding, so I want to be the flower girl at yours.”

And fuck, Josh didn’t want to break a little girl’s heart. Her eyes were wide and pleading, lower lip jutted out in a pout, and even though Josh has known Justin for a little over a week now, he could see where she copied that face from.

“Alya,” he began with a sigh. “Sorry, It’s still too early to say, but, I promise you that when your uncle Justin gets married, you can definitely be a flower girl.”

The brilliant smile on her face told Josh that she was satisfied with the response, and she sat back down, presumably to tell her mom the good news.

Josh sank back into his seat before he looked over to his side. Justin was still fast asleep, and Josh couldn’t help but smile at the sight he made. 

The night he met Justin, he actually thought there could be something between them. After almost two years since his last relationship, Josh was utterly surprised when Justin came into his life in a whirlwind of cocktails and confidence. Though nothing happened, Josh was pretty sure that he and Justin could continue and perhaps things could snowball from there. 

He was elated when Justin finally got in touch with him.

He could almost pretend this was all real - that he was really Justin’s boyfriend, and every time he looked at Justin, it almost felt real - but he was always torn away from that fantasy every minute when the guilt that came as a result of deceiving Justin’s entire family reminded him why he was here in the first place.

Josh looked again at Justin. He was cute, witty, and was undoubtedly very kind.

But was he worth all this trouble?

* * *

Upon arriving at the airport, Justin’s other brother, Yani - the soon-to-be groom - was standing there, waiting for them.

Josh didn’t really know much about Yani other than what Justin told him. Yani was the middle child, and he was getting married to Justin’s best friend, Ken.

“Hey, everyone!” Yani exclaimed, greeting them all in hugs. “Sorry it’s just me as the welcoming committee. Ken’s working on table arrangements at the moment with the caterers, so he’s quite busy.”

He stopped in front of Josh and Justin. There was a smile on his face, but the slightly raised eyebrow told Josh that he was probably on to them.

“And you are?” He asked, shaking Josh’s hand.

“I’m Josh,” he replied, voice a little tight. “I’m uh...I’m Justin’s boyfriend.”

“Well, Josh, it’s very nice to meet you,” Yani exclaimed, shaking his hand gently before letting go. “Why don’t you go ahead with the rest of the family, I just have a few things I’d like to catch up with Justin on.”

Josh hesitated, and Justin looked a bit alarmed, but the tone in Yani’s voice said there was no room for argument.

“I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Justin then said, sighing.

“Alright,” he said, hesitating a bit before he started walking a bit further ahead. He caught up with CJ and his family, and little Alya waved at him. She held out her hand, and after a smile from her mom, he gently took her hand in his and walked with her.

“I have so many things I want to do,” Alya then started babbling, and Josh proceeded to listen to her to at least have a distraction in the crazy situation he found himself in. 

* * *

Yani and Justin walked just a few meters behind their family, but Yani had a firm grip on his little brother’s shoulder, a sure sign that he was obviously unhappy with him.

“Really?” Yani hissed at him, and yep, he was pissed. “Ken told me everything, you do realize that?” 

_Of course he did,_ Justin thought wryly. There used to be a time when his best friend would keep his deepest darkest secrets for him. But, lo and behold, the moment he starts dating Justin’s brother and gets engaged to him, their secrets suddenly become public knowledge. Justin made a mental note to tell Yani about that one specific time when they were in college, and Ken can’t do shit to stop him.

“Look, I have everything under control,” Justin said, trying to get Yani’s hand off his shoulder. “It’s just for this weekend after all.”

“And you didn’t think about what would happen a week or so from now?” Yani shot back. “What if they ask about him? What then?”

“I’ll just tell them we broke up,” Justin replied, having truthfully never thought that far ahead. “It’s not outside the realm of possibility.”

Yani sighed. “Look, this weekend is going to be one of the most important ones of my life, and I would not like to have any unnecessary drama going on because I am already under a lot of stress.”

“And there won’t be,” came Justin’s response. “Look, I promise I’ll have everything under control. You’ll get married, he and I pretend to date for a few days, and it will all be back to normal come Monday. You’ll see.”

“Well, it better fucking be,” Yani snapped, and Justin couldn’t help but flinch. His usually mild-mannered older brother did not really cuss, but when he did, Justin knew he was not playing games. There were only a few times Justin really experienced Yani’s wrath, but when he did, it was never pretty. 

At Justin’s reaction, Yani sighed, and his expression softened. “Look, I won’t tell them if that’s what you're afraid of, but if something so much as interrupts our plans because of this little charade you have going on, I will not hesitate to bring it up.”

“That’s fair,” Justin replied after a while, eyes downcast. He knows this was a ridiculous plan - he wasn’t afraid to admit it - but at this point, he had run out of ideas. 

They walked a little bit further, Yani’s hand having relaxed its death grip on his shoulder, and they approached their family who was waiting by the baggage claim area. Josh looked up at them, and he gave Justin a hesitant smile as they approached. Justin couldn’t help but smile back. Even if they were not really together, he could see why someone would go for Josh. 

It also didn’t escape his notice that his niece, Alya, had already latched onto Josh, regaling him with her tales that she often talked to Justin about. Justin half-expected Josh to dismiss her outright or even ignore her as some of his exes had done in the past, but to his utter surprise, Josh went down to her level, and he looked to be listening with rapt attention. He was smiling and nodding like he understood a word she said, and he even responded. 

Justin felt his heart do a little somersault in his chest. He loved Alya dearly, and he spoiled her to no end, and seeing someone actually give her the time of day was just heartwarming.

“He looks like a good guy,” Yani remarked before they were within earshot. “For everyone’s sake, I hope you know what you’re doing, Justin.”

“Yeah, I hope so too.”

* * *

They arrived at the hotel just a few minutes before check-in time, and Justin was just tired.

Together, he and Josh trudged to their hotel room. He was ready to just pass out and sleep until dinner time.

“Uh, Justin,” Josh began as they walked into the room. It was large, and it actually had the bed room separate from the living room area. Yani and Ken really splurged on this wedding if they were keeping their guests in the Deluxe suites, he thought.

“Yeah?” He asked, and the door closed behind them.

“There uh...there’s just one bed,” Josh replied, pointing to the bedroom where, _surprise surprise,_ there was just one - Queen-sized, thank god - bed. It was big enough that it’d fit the both of them, no problem, and well, Justin had no problem sharing, either.

“If you’re not comfortable with it, I’ll just take the couch,” Justin told him, and Josh shook his head.

“I can’t ask you to sleep on the couch!” He exclaimed, and Justin shrugged.

“Well, if you’re alright with sharing the bed, I’m not opposed to it.”

“Alright, I’m cool with that,” Josh replied. “D'you mind if I shower first?”

“Go ahead,” Justin replied as he started to unpack. “I’ll see what we can order for room service.”

As Josh walked into the shower, Justin bit his lip and called out his name.

“Hey, uh, Josh?”

“Yeah?” 

Josh popped his head out of the door, looking expectantly at him.

Justin sighed. “I just...I just wanna say thanks, y’know for...coming here and helping me with this. I know you probably have a lot of other better things to do than come here and pretend to be my boyfriend for an entire weekend, but I want you to know that it really does mean a lot to me.”

Josh smiled at him. “It’s no problem, and besides, it’s practically an all-expense paid trip to Zamboanga, and I’m not one to refuse.”

“Go shower, you dork,” Justin said, laughing. “And make it quick, I want to shower too.”

* * *

Justin realized he had fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, he was being nudged awake by Josh.

“Hey, shower’s all yours,” Josh whispered, and Justin blinked his eyes open.

And he wished he hadn’t.

In front of him stood Josh, wrapped only in a white fluffy towel, still a bit wet from his shower. Drops of water cascaded down his well-defined chest and abs, and Justin’s eyes travelled all the way down to where he could see the beginnings of a happy trail from Josh’s navel, disappearing into the white fluffy towel. He was obviously keeping in shape, if the way his muscles flexed were any indication, and all around, he looked like some statue chiseled from stone. 

Justin was not expecting to be treated to this sight upon waking up, and he most certainly was not expecting Josh to be this _fit._

But then again, he had only ever seen Josh in joggers and baggy clothes. He had no fucking idea that this was what lay underneath.

He then realizes he may have been staring for a good few seconds because Josh’s expression changed. His smile dropped a bit, and now he looked concerned because Justin hadn’t said anything since blinking awake. Justin practically jolted from the bed, grabbing his own towel and making a show of rubbing his eyes and yawning. 

“Right, thanks,” he said, shutting the door behind him almost a bit too loudly, leaving a confused Josh standing in the middle of the room.

* * *

Dinnertime finally rolled around, and this time, Ken was with the group. Justin grinned upon seeing him, and he instantly approached, greeting Ken in a hug.

“You are an asshole,” he said by way of greeting. 

“I had to tell him,” Ken pointed out. “In my defense, we’re getting married, and married people do not keep secrets from one another.”

“College, January 12, chocolate syrup,” was all Justin said, and Ken paled.

“Justin de Dios, I will eviscerate you if you even dare bring that up to him,” Ken hissed at him.

“Then stop sharing my secrets,” he replied with a wink. “But, jokes aside, I’m glad to see you. It’s like I haven’t had a chance to catch up in weeks.”

Ken shrugged. “Busy days,” he replied. “Who knew planning a wedding took a lot of your time?”

“I’m glad for you, y’know,” Justin said after a while. “I mean, I don’t think I ever got to tell you, but I’m really excited for you to be part of the family. You’re my best friend, and I’m incredibly happy for you and my brother. I guess I’m just a little bummed out that we won’t get to spend a lot of time together like we used to.”

Ken scoffed. “If you think marriage is going to prevent me from hanging out with you then you are absolutely wrong. I’m still going to make your life a living hell.”

“Thanks, man,” Justin said, laughing as he pulled Ken close into a hug. “And I will also always make your life a living hell.”

“Come on, bro, let’s go see where your _boyfriend_ has disappeared to.” 

They found Josh standing by the bar, looking so out of place amongst their relatives. The moment they locked eyes, Josh visibly perked up, and Justin suddenly felt a gnawing sense of guilt for dragging him into all of this.

“Hey,” he said, greeting Josh with a chaste kiss to the cheek. They had to look like they were in love after all.

“Hey yourself,” Josh replied, grinning at him. 

“Josh, I uh, I’d like you to meet my best friend, Ken,” Justin began, gesturing to his best friend next to him. “He’s the one who’s getting married on Sunday.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ken said, shaking Josh’s hand. “And yeah, I’m the lucky dude who’s about to tie the knot.”

“Well, congratulations,” Josh said, and he was very sincere in his greetings. “Thank you for having us.”

“It’s no problem,” Ken replied. “We did have a bit of a minor panic because Justin here told us too late that you’d be coming along, but we made it work, thankfully.”

He said that last part with a glare directed at Justin, and Justin did his best to ignore him.

“Anyways, I hope you enjoy the weekend,” Ken added, looking back at Josh. “If this one gives you any trouble, just let me know and I can kick him out.”

Justin glared at him, but Josh only laughed.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, and Justin felt his hand slip into his, their fingers intertwining. “I’m just lucky enough to be here with him.”

He smiled at Justin, and Justin found himself smiling back, unable to tear his eyes away. Josh looked so earnest when he said that, and Justin had to remind himself that none of this was actually real.

Ken leaned in to whisper to them. “You don’t have to pretend around me, I know.”

The smile from Josh’s face dropped suddenly, and Justin found himself _missing_ it. 

“Oh,” he said, suddenly dropping Justin’s hand and well, _rude._

Ken laughed. “But, hey, if I didn’t know anything, you guys would have me convinced.” 

That made Justin stop and look at Ken questioningly. “What does that mean?”

“Well, you’ve got the _in love_ look down pat.”

“What?” Justin asked. “What look? We don’t have a look.”

Ken shrugged. “Well, it’s the same look you told me I had when I looked at Yani. And, well, look where we are now.”

He then stepped back. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and look for my fiancé.”

Ken walked away, leaving Justin and Josh gaping after him.

* * *

Dinner was served, and Justin found himself sitting next to Josh in the middle of his entire immediate family.

“So, Justin,” Justin’s mom began, and they both turned to them. “Tell us again how you two met?”

That question suddenly captured the entire table’s attention, and they found themselves stared at by several people, all waiting for a response. .

“We met at a bar,” Justin replied, shortly, and he paused, wondering what else to include in the story. 

“He approached me, actually,” Josh added, and Justin took his hand in his to make it more convincing. 

“I knew from that moment that he was going to be special,” Justin said, looking into Josh’s eyes. There was some uncertainty in the other man’s features, but they quickly disappeared, replaced with a soft expression that Justin couldn’t quite describe. “The past four months have been some of the best I’ve ever had.”

There was a chorus of “Awwws” from their captive audience, and for a second, Justin could imagine that they were actually together. 

“We can’t believe that Justin kept you a secret all these months,” someone giggled, and they quickly realized that it was Amanda, CJ’s wife. “So, tell us, Josh, what do you do for a living?”

Josh cleared his throat. “I actually run a dance academy with my best friend. We do some after-school programs for kids who want to learn, and we also teach a few adults.”

Soon enough, everyone jumped into the conversation, asking Josh questions about himself as if they were trying to make up for the non-existent four months that they didn’t know about him. Thankfully, they didn’t ask anything that could compromise their backstory, and Justin sat back, simply listening to Josh answer questions, filing away these little tidbits of information in his mind just in case they came up in conversation again later on.

He belatedly realized that he didn’t know much about Josh, either, which was an oversight on both their parts. He knew the important details - like his birthday and occupation - but little things like his favorite color, favorite movie, favorite song, and favorite TV show were things he didn’t think to ask.

That night, they went back to their hotel room. Josh changed into his sleep wear as Justin brushed his teeth.

“You know,” Justin began after spitting out the toothpaste. “I realized I really didn’t know much about you.”

“You didn’t give me a chance to introduce myself much,” Josh replied sarcastically. “You sprung this weekend on me all of a sudden that it completely slipped my mind.”

Justin looked at him, and he could feel the guilt rising up in his chest. He padded to the bed once he put his toothbrush away, and he sat down next to Josh.

“I’m not sleepy yet, what do you say we’ll spend this time getting to know each other more?” He suggested, turning to Josh. “I’ll ask you a question and you can ask me one in return. It could be fun.”

Josh raised an eyebrow.

“Even if we aren’t, y’know, really _together,”_ Justin stammered out. “I guess well, I do want to get to know you a bit better.”

The other man sighed. “Alright then, what would you like to know?”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Red. Really, that’s what you ask?”

Josh was giving him an incredulous look, but the slight grin on his lips told a different story. 

“Well, if we’re pretending to be together for this weekend, I figured we should know these things about each other,” Justin reasoned, and the grin on Josh’s face suddenly disappeared.

“Oh, yeah.”

“I hope that’s okay?” 

Josh looked at him. “Yeah, sure. Well, if you want to do this, what do you say we crack open some wine?”

“You know what? Ken’s paying for the room, let’s do it,” Justin replied with a grin. “I’ll go get the wine.”

* * *

**_[Josh_** & _Stell]_

**_[2:01 a.m.]_ **

**_I think I may have made a mistake._ **

_[2:03 a.m.]_

_What are you talking about?_

**_[2:06 a.m.]_ **

**_I think I made a mistake coming here_ **

_[2:10 a.m.]_

_Why because you’re technically lying to his family?_

**_[2:15 a.m.]_ **

**_That, and…_ **

**_I think I’m in love with him._ **

_[2:16 a.m.]_

_Oh fuck_

**_[2:17 a.m.]_ **

**_Oh fuck indeed._ **

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, at least I updated before the new year rolled in.
> 
> I'm still not a bit sure as to where this fic will lead, and it's taken me a while to get back on track. I do have a vague idea what I want to happen. 
> 
> I also am not sure about the name of Justin's eldest brother. I think I saw somewhere that he's called CJ? I also do not know if he's married, but hey, this is fiction after all. 
> 
> Please do leave a comment and let me know what you all think. I appreciate constructive criticism. 
> 
> Love y'all! Stan SB19 <3


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